Angles.

Kemp by DV
The curvature of the shoe body is standard and beautiful. The softness of the body is offset by the heel, in color, texture and shape. The classic thick heel has been rethought to be reflective like glass, and it is cut in a way reminiscent of architectural design.

The design of this shoe is as cutting edge as the lines that make it up. Part of Depression's Plastic Surgery Collection for AW '11, these shoes exhibit the clinical, minimalist, functionality of the hospital scene. The unexpected curve between the toe and the ankle is a testament to the attention paid to the human form, namely, the foot arch. While the heels are not high, the unorthodox tongue and ankle along with the omnipresent combat boot buckles makes this shoe command attention. Also available for men, you can find the shoes here and the collection here.

Your eyes were probably drawn to the huge cut out in the heel, despite the neon inner and sole. Once again, the curve of the upper is directly contrasted by the stark angular blockiness of the heel. The curved sole serves a dual function, adding a softer aesthetic to the lower portion of the shoe, and providing the wearer fluidity of movement despite the wedge's chunkiness. The black edge jutting out from the heel of the shoe makes use of asymmetric triangulation, further adding to the simple, yet complex artistic appeal of the shoe.

Lastly, we have several shoes by London-based company Finsk. A huge hit for their off the beaten path designs, the shoes are always fresh, original and desirable. While the uppers are all well structured in their own right, the heels are the true selling point of this brand. Terming some shoes "projects", they appear to be created solely for artistic purposes, but also happen to be designed for some level of functionality. There is a shoe for every woman, be it simple and monochromatic or ostentatious and colorful, and there will always be a twist to make it anything but low-key.

The angled shoe is a force to be reckoned with. It employs the feminine curves of the traditional women's shoe, and adds the clean, strong beauty of the man's business shoe. Until now, the androgynous pointed-toe shoe has been, on some level, the go-to symbol of power and professionalism. While I concede that the above examples, save perhaps the Kemp, are not a traditional professional shoe (depending on one's job), they give new meaning to the powerful women's shoe. The age-old (paraphrased) mantra of "the higher the heel, the stronger the woman", has become replaced with "the tougher the shoe, the stronger the woman." Angularity has become a rather permanent fixture in the garment aspect of fashion as of late, expressing the toughness and clean beauty of the modern woman. It's about time the shoe got a makeover as well.